Want to have your friend, colleague or relative on your Xiaomi Redmi 9 screen when you call in? Not only is it convenient for quick subscriber identification, it also makes the smartphone interface more personalized. In this article, we’ll look at all the ways you can add photos to your contacts, from standard methods through the MIUI Phone Book to syncing with Google Account and even bypassing system restrictions.
The Redmi 9 (M2003J15SC/M2004C3LG) feature is that the manufacturer often updates the MIUI firmware, which may cause some menu items to change, and we took this into account and prepared universal instructions that are relevant for MIUI 12-14 versions. If you have a different version, don’t worry: the algorithm of actions remains almost identical.
Important: Before you start, make sure that the photo you want is already saved in the phone gallery. The image format can be any (JPEG, PNG, WEBP), but the recommended size is from 300×300 pixels so that the photo does not stretch or lose quality.
1. Standard method: through the "Contacts" application
The easiest and fastest method is to use the built-in Contacts app (an icon with a person’s silhouette on a green background), which works on all Xiaomi smartphones, including the Redmi 9, Redmi Note 9 and other models on MIUI.
Instructions:
- 📱 Open the Contacts app (if you don’t find it, check the Tools folder or use a phone search).
- 🔍 Find the contact you want in the list or use the search bar at the top.
- ✏️ Click on the contact, then tap on the pencil icon ("Edit") in the upper right corner.
- 🖼️ Tap the round camera icon next to the contact name and you will be asked to choose the source of the photo: Gallery, Camera or Avatarki.
- ✅ Select an image, trim it (if necessary) and save the changes with the Ready button.
If you don't have an edit button, check if the contact is a service one (such as a bank or operator) and these contacts are usually blocked for change. SIM-Maps – the latter do not support the addition of photos.
Photo saved in the phone gallery
Contact is not an official contact
Contact saved in your phone or Google memory
The "Contact" app is updated to the latest version-->
2. Add photos via Google Contacts (synchronization)
If you use Google Account to sync contacts, you can add photos via the web version of the service, which is convenient because the changes will automatically apply to all devices where sync is enabled.
How to do this:
- Open your browser on your computer or phone and go to contacts.google.com.
- Sign in with the same account that is linked to your Redmi 9.
- Find the contact you need in the list and click on it.
- Click on the camera icon in the upper left corner of the contact window.
- Download the image from your computer or select from Google Photos.
- Save the changes.
After that, wait for the sync (usually takes 1-2 minutes) If the photo does not appear on the phone:
- 🔄 Go to Settings. → Accounts. → Google and enable contact sync.
- 📱 Open Contacts app on Redmi 9 and pull the list down to update the data.
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If a photo in Google Contacts is displayed and not on your phone, try clearing the Contacts app cache in your phone settings.
3.Use the Gallery app for quick addition
Few people know, but MIUI has a hidden feature that allows you to add a photo to a contact directly from the Gallery app, which is convenient if you just took a picture and want to immediately link it to the subscriber.
Step-by-step:
- 📷 Open the Gallery app and find the photo you need.
- 🖼️ Slip the image to open it in full size.
- 📤 Click on the Share button (three-dot icon and arrow icon).
- 👤 In the list of applications, select Contacts (may be called Add to Contact).
- 🔍 Choose a contact from the list or create a new one.
- ✅ Confirm the action – the photo will be automatically cropped and saved.
This method doesn't work on all versions of MIUI, but it's available on Redmi 9 with MIUI 12.5+ firmware. If there's no Contacts item in the Share menu, update the Gallery app through the Play Store.
What if a photo is added but not displayed when you call?
4. Reset contact photos (if they are not displayed)
Sometimes users face a problem when contact photos stop showing after updating MIUI or resetting settings, in which case resetting the Contacts app cache will help.
How to reset the cache:
- Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
- Find the Contacts app (or Contacts and Calls).
- Select Warehouse. → Clear the cache.
- Reboot the phone.
If that doesn't work, try to delete the app data (on the same menu, click Clear Data).Caution: this will delete all local contacts not synced with Google!
- 📥 Open Contacts. → ⋮ (menu) → Imports/Exports.
- 📤 Select Export to File and Save Backup to Memory Card or Cloud.
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Resetting the Contacts app deletes all local contacts not saved to Google or to the Internet SIM-Always back up before cleaning!
5. Alternative methods: third-party applications
If the standard methods don't work or you need additional features (such as mass photo sharing), you can use third-party apps, and we tested a few and selected the most reliable ones:
| Annex | Functions | Reference | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contact Photo Editor | Editing photo contacts, cropping, filters | Play Market | Works without root licenses, but requires contact permissions |
| Sync.ME | Automatic addition of photos from social networks (VK, Facebook) | Play Market | Can slow down your phone with a lot of contacts |
| Truecaller | Call identification + photos from the database | Play Market | Registration and access to SMS |
Warning: Check reviews and ratings in the Play Store before installing third-party apps. Some programs may request excessive permissions (such as accessing SMS or geolocation), which is not secure.
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If you use Truecaller, turn off automatic spam detection in the application settings – this will reduce battery consumption.
6. Problem Solving: Why is the photo of the contact not saved?
Sometimes Redmi 9 users find that a photo of the contact is not saved or resets after a reboot.
⚠️ Note: If you use dual applications (functions) MIUI For cloning messengers, contact photos may not synchronize between the original and cloned applications.
Checklist for diagnosis:
- 🔋 Check if there is enough space in the phone’s memory (minimum 50-100 MB of free space is required).
- 🔄 Make sure that sync with your Google Account is enabled (if the contact is saved to Google).
- 📵 Try turning off Power Saving Mode - it can block background synchronization.
- 🛠️ Update Contacts and Google Contacts to the latest version.
If the problem persists, try resetting the Contacts app settings:
- Go to Settings → Applications → Contacts → More.
- Choose Reset Settings (not to be confused with Clear Data!).
- Reboot the phone.